Ramshackle House

Set on the windswept tip of Broome’s Point, a solitary octagonal house clings to spindly pilings overlooking the mouth of the Pocomico River. The landscape is a tapestry of salt‑laden marsh, bustling holiday crowds on nearby islands, and the quiet, stubborn routines of the Broome family. Pen, a twenty‑four‑year‑old who runs the household with sharp wit and a restless spirit, watches the day’s festivities unfold from her kitchen window, feeling both detached and oddly unsettled.

A sudden storm breaks over the estate, mirroring Pen’s inner turbulence and stirring the daily grind into something more urgent. As she grapples with a broken churn paddle and the eccentric chatter of Aunt Maria, the ordinary chores of farm life give way to hints of hidden tensions and unexpected visitors. The opening chapters promise a vivid portrait of coastal life, layered with humor, family dynamics, and the promise of deeper mysteries waiting just beyond the tide.